Team Vitality has signed Bartosz ‘UNFAKE’ Bernacki and Blendi ‘kovaQ’ Kovaci for its starting lineup at VCT EMEA Stage 2.
The two players have replaced the roster’s previous in-game leader (IGL), Saif ‘Sayf’ Jibraeel, and flex player, Clément ‘CyvOph’ Millard.
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In a statement on X (formerly Twitter), the esports organisation explained that the VALORANT roster needed a new IGL after Sayf wished to step down from competitive play.
“Our focus was to strengthen the structure of the team by finding an experienced and stabilising In-Game Leader who could support the roster both in and out of the server,” shared Vitality. “[UNFAKE’s] leadership, composure, and wealth of experience made him the perfect piece to fit our puzzle.”
While the team initially intended only to replace Sayf, KovaQ convinced Vitality of his value to the starting lineup during tryouts through his ‘performance and adaptability.’ The decision to also sign KovaQ came at the expense of CyvOph, who was moved to an inactive position.
“These decisions are never easy, especially when they involve a young player with clear potential. However, we believe the adjustment will better serve our goal of reaching VCT Champions,” emphasised the esports organisation.
Team Vitality was considered among the strongest VALORANT teams in EMEA at the start of this year’s competitive season. Fuelled by star players Nikita ‘Derke’ Sirmitev and Felipe ‘Less’ Basso, Vitality won VCT EMEA Kickoff and finished fourth place at Masters Bangkok.
For VCT Stage 1, the team signed CyvOph as a promising player from the tier-2 scene. However, the new roster failed to qualify for the ongoing Masters Toronto event. Similarly, Vitality fell short during the Esports World Cup EMEA Qualifier.
Who are UNFAKE and kovaQ?
UNFAKE began his competitive VALORANT career in 2021, playing for Invicta Gaming. In December 2024, he was signed by French esports organisation Joblife, under which the Polish player won Stage 1 of VALORANT Challengers 2025 France: Revolution.
Interestingly, CyvOph joined Joblife on loan until the end of the Ascension season. His replacement, kovaQ, had been competing for ALTERNATE aTTaX since September 2023. Together with the German esports organisation, kovaQ reached fifth place in last year’s VALORANT Challengers DACH division.
Both UNFAKE and kovaQ are planned to represent Vitality during VCT EMEA Stage 2 in June. However, the sign-ups still require approval from Riot and Visas.
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